Once again, the GOP Ruling Class and Higher Than Us is taken to task for looking down their noses at those “Trumpian rubes” – how dare the great Unwashed speak up, ignore us, and dare not to give us their votes for OUR candidate to which we are entitled? Er, boys? Let’s go back to the original tenet of politics – you earn the votes. David Limbaugh writes (reformatted, emphasis mine), once again, that the GOP Intelligencia is completely missing the boat at best, or joining in with the Democrat Socialists at worst. A couple of snippets (go read the whole link):
These commentators seem more disgusted with Trump defenders than with President Obama’s destructive agenda and the threat it represents to America. Their angst, I would argue, is not primarily about Trump. Their real beef is with Reagan conservatives and others who refuse to be calm about Obama’s assaults and are sick of lectures on bipartisanship and “civility.”
Which seemingly is true. The GOP has spent more time, from the view of Joe and Jane Sixpack, fighting what should be seen as the most passionate part of their base. Their only sin is that, in the eyes of the Smart People, is that they actually believe what the GOP says it does (but often doesn’t do).
They are the superior ones who regard Sen. Ted Cruz as a grandstanding extremist because he refuses to be calm about this nation’s predicament and vigorously fights back. They are the ones who always want to throw in the towel in battles with Obama before those battles have even begun.
Being in the bubble, they can’t understand the angst that most of us who actually do the work that makes this country work. We live and breathe its precepts – the punditry and Ruling Class is too caught up in Court Intrique to “get it”. Yet, this tiny part of the population believes that it is US, the majority, that doesn’t get it at all. True – we have gone past post-politics; we demand results and you all ain’t delivering. And when you insult us, we hate you more.
They see themselves as the only adults in the GOP room, and though they pretend to tolerate — if not admire — the tea party and Christian conservative activists, they must race to the bathroom and wash out their mouths with soap every time they publicly demonstrate anything but contempt for these lunatics. Some of them may even be among those silently grinning as the Obama administration dubs the tea party and returning veterans “domestic terrorists.”
No, they are grinning – they actively participated in the same actions and words as the Democrats, from US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (“we’ll crush them”) downward.
These three overlapping groups — tea partyers, Reagan conservatives and Christian conservatives — are fair game not just for liberal Democrats but also for establishment Republicans, and the groups are fed up.
It remains to be seen if the NH GOP apparatchiks learned the lesson meted out in November of 2014 here in the State. Will the DC sneer-alikes continue to berate those that see them as inadequate in word, deeds, and souls? Will the base rise up and say no more? Or just go “no vote”?
After all, if it weren’t for them, establishment honchos would be powerless; they depend on these millions for their political lifeblood. Still, they give them nothing but disrespect in return.
I think I understand the inclination of establishment types to be cautious and not rock the boat too much with Obama for fear of losing that “next election.” But there is always going to be a next election. At what point does our side really stand up? At what point do we quit pandering to the mushy middle with pale pastels instead of pressing forward with policies marked by bold colors? Their fear has reached the point of paranoia, and they have neutered themselves.
And this state of incontinence with respect to DOING SOMETHING RIGHT? Their actions say one thing: we treat you like the Democrats treat the Black vote – you are ours and you aren’t going anywhere. So we don’t care. Well, there are a number of Blacks that are saying “Hey, we’ve had a brother in the WH – are we any better off than before?”. Frankly, we (your base) are starting to think the same thing – we gave you what you asked – are we better off from your inactions on the important things – what you promised to do?
And then they wonder why so many people are ga-ga for The Donald? You have brought him (and us) upon yourselves.
I am glad Trump has shaken up the political world this campaign season, even if I don’t approve of everything he says and don’t prefer his candidacy. As an occasional defender, I think I take his candidacy less seriously than some of his attackers.
It seems that those attacking Trump most vociferously are the ones who generally attack Cruz. They mainly condemn Trump, I believe, because they see him sucking the oxygen from their beloved establishment candidates. His brashness and perceived crudeness are mostly an excuse, and it is quite convenient for their purposes.
The irony is that Trump will only be a viable candidate if establishment types keep obsessing over him and offending his supporters or drive him to pursue a third-party run.
And then he hits the nub of the Establishment blindness:
If they would quit trying to marginalize genuinely conservative candidates, perhaps the void that Trump has filled would eventually fill itself and squeeze Trump out.
True – oft I’ve been told I’d be better to haul off at the Democrats than constantly smacking Rs around. Well, the Dems act like Dems – so there’s only so much fun to be had there. But he’s right – it constantly is the case that the Party hates its conservatives. Screw the words of “inclusive” or “Big Tent” as they are worthless; watch their actions. For example, the NH State Republican Senate Incumbency Patrol – dedicated not to moving the NH Senate to a more perfect mirroring of the NH GOP Platform principles but simply to just keep present office holders in office. In other words, a closed little Country Club that doesn’t want the Big Tent at all.
The main difference between the establishment position and that of Reagan conservatives is more than a matter of disposition. It is that the former is impervious to the objective urgency of America’s predicament. Establishment types seem content to sit around the table, legs crossed, and dispassionately consider current events and the political climate as if they were little more than a game. “We’ve seen this all before,” some of them say, “and the situation will correct itself, so not to worry.”
They are yawningly unpanicked about the threats facing America and confuse their own apathy with adulthood. They are not, despite their apparent calm, the adults in the room, nor are the conservatives the unruly children. Adults realize true dangers facing their children (and their nation) and take action. They don’t congratulate themselves on appearing mature while letting their children or their nation be destroyed.
In capsule form, the only part of “Winning is merely the precursor; it is what you do afterwards that is most important” is the Winning. The rest of it? Meh… And the only threat, so it seems, is their own power and not America. So, do we can the “winning” part of their artificial reality to get them pay attention?
Some Trump supporters may be blind followers who would trail him over a cliff, but most are people who see their country disintegrating and having no effective means of turning it around.
And you all aren’t turning it around. So when employees don’t do the job they have been hired for….
There are a number of GOP candidates who would strive to dismantle the Obama nightmare, and we should all be grateful for the depth of the GOP bench. It is remarkable and a further testament to the public’s awareness of our nation’s dire predicament that so many capable people have stepped forward.
The message is being sent through a $10 Billion Billionaire; are they listening?
